Solution to lead issue leads to more problems

Ithaca schools need to fix their water pipes, which bring lead to the water fountains, faucets and other sources of water. This affects me as a student and I hate it.

The lead was first discovered in Caroline and Enfield because they got their water from wells and are required to be tested every three years. Because of this, the schools have shut down all of their water fountains and now use huge jugs of water and plastic cups to supply water for the students.

Lead poisoning is a very bad thing to deal with. The symptoms include vomiting, loss of appetite, and sluggishness and fatigue. Even though it can be cured with medical help, the symptoms are still hard to deal with to deal with. In children, it can cause permanent learning disabilities.

There are only a couple of students who have gotten elevated lead levels in their blood because of the way that the district has handled the issue with the water jugs. But there is one major flaw with it — how much plastic it wastes. Every time students get a drink of water, they throw cups in the trash, and every time jugs run out of water, they go in the trash.

This is not a good situation for the school district and I don’t see them trying to fix it. At least students aren’t drinking water with an unacceptable lead amount.